This invention relates to brushes used in conjunction with automated vehicle washing systems which permit only a limited amount of penetration into the brush of a portion of the vehicle to be washed. The brush is made almost entirely of cloth wiping members used for scrubbing and wiping the vehicle. Top brushes made entirely of cloth settle toward the vehicle surface because of the tendency of the cloth strips to wrap around the shaft or hub of the brush. This brings the hub into contact with the projecting parts of the vehicle causing damage to the vehicle or even the brush. For example, an aerial may wrap around the hub and be pulled from its mount. Bristle brushes tend to stand away from the vehicle while cleaning due to the bristles having a certain stiffness, thus not permitting the portion of the vehicle being cleaned to penetrate into the brush. However, the bristles while adequately cleaning the vehicle, tend to dull the luster and sheen of the exterior finish of the vehicle. It is known that cloth brushes do not dull the luster and shine of the exterior finish of a vehicle as do bristles. For this reason, cloth brushes have recently been put into use by car washes, especially as side brushes.
To avoid the settlement problem, top cloth brushes use a longer wiping member and therefore a considerable amount of cloth material. Typically, the cloth wiping members measure 60 inches so that the shaft or hub of the brush does not settle into contact with the vehicle. Side brushes do not settle because they rotate about a vertical axis. While the length of the cloth wiping members for top brushes tend to keep the brush shaft or hub sufficiently away from the vehicle, the cloth wiping members still tend to wrap around the hub. It is known that cloth will clean best when only a portion immediately adjacent their ends (e.g., 4 inches) comes in contact with the vehicle. A heavy mopping action is not as effective a scrubbing method as is a slap-action by contact with the distal end of the cloth wiping members of the brush. This slap-action results from the rotational motion of the brush and the interruption of that motion by contacting the vehicle. After the initial contact, which can loosen even the heaviest road dirt, the cloth wiping members provide a moderate mopping action over the vehicle surface until removed from contact by the rotation motion. Moreover, the mopping action of the cloth wiping members scrubs the vehicle surface.
The brush of the present invention is designed to overcome the deficiencies of both the cloth and the bristle type brushes currently in use. The improvement comprises a means for limiting the penetration of a portion of the vehicle being cleaned into the cloth wiping members of the brush.
Interleaved among the cloth wiping members are sets of bristles which provide support for the cloth when contacting the vehicle. The bristles prevent the problem of wraparound and also limit penetration into the brush due to their stiffness. Alternatively, a wheel-like member is used to limit penetration of vehicle parts or projections into the brush. The brush is to be used primarily in automated vehicle washing systems where a vehicle, such as an automobile, is washed by being pulled or pushed through a system of brushes, water and detergent sprays, and air dryers.
It should be noted that the brush of the present invention is designed to replace the brushes commonly in use in vehicle washing systems in any mounting configuration, thus providing even cleaning and shining over the entire vehicle.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cloth vehicle scrubbing brush for cleaning the exterior of a vehicle while eliminating the problem of the cloth wiping members wrapping around the shaft or hub of the brush.
Further, it is also an object of the present invention to provide for limited penetration into the cloth wiping members of the brush of any portion of the vehicle coming into contact with the brush in order not to damage either the vehicle or the brush.
Other objects will appear hereinafter.